Tonedevil Harp Guitar Strings and Tuning Information
Please visit our store page to purchase sets of harp guitar sub strings for Tonedevil instruments. We have both steel string and nylon core string sets available.
*DISCLAIMER* Changing the gauges of your strings may void the warranty and cause damage to your instrument. Please refer to the string gauge calculator below if you want a different tuning for your harp guitar sub strings. Separate sets are needed for use with the Stephen Bennet/Andy Mckee re-entrant tuning as also explained below.
Diatonic Tuning
The models S-12, S-18, S-18ST, S-12N and S-18NST harp guitars are factory strung for descending diatonic tuning. That is from lowest to highest: F-G-A-B-C-D. Variations can be made from this tuning by sharping or flatting some of harp strings to change their tuning to the desired key you play in. The following are other recommended tuning variations that may be used with the same harp string gauges:
Key of C Major:
F-G-A-B-C-D
Key of D Major:
E-G-A-B-C#-D
Key of E Modal, A Major
E-F#-A-B-C#-D
Bennet/McKee Re-entrant Tuning
Stephen Bennett developed a tuning for his harp strings that starts the first one (7th) at a G2, then the next (8th) at D2 and descends diatonically down from there to G1, so G2,D2,C2,B1,A1,G1. Re-entrant strings are those which are positioned lower than the one above it but are a higher note, in this case the 7th string G2 is higher than the 6th on the guitar, E2 making it a re-entrant string. Andy McKee and a few other notable players use this tuning as well but it needs lighter string gauges because it is tuned so much higher.
Bennett/McKee Tuning Steel String Gauges:
| .064 | .060 | .054 | .052 | .050 | .036 |
| G | A | B | C | D | G |
Custom Harp String Tunings
String gauge calculator:
For making your own tuning for the harp strings, use this string gauge calculator that calculates gauge for the desired string tension. For Tonedevil steel string harp guitars, 17-18 lbs. is the maximum tension per string. Please be careful when re-tuning your instrument and make sure you have the correct gauge of string for the notes you want it tuned to. Too much tension will void the warranty and can damage the instrument.